Journey of the Running Tree

By Egan Yip

Journey of the Running Tree is a fantasy for ages 7 and up! Follow the fun adventures of Emily and her magical Running Tree in this small Chapter Book series as they travel across a vast, mysterious world full of legends, myths and monsters.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Egan Yip
• Release date: Jan 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311596987

Book preview

Journey of the Running Tree

Egan Yip

Copyright 2013 by Egan Yip

Smashwords Edition

This book is dedicated first to the One for whom it was written, then to Keanna, and lastly to all of my loving family.

Chapter 1

-The Rain Comes-

Lying on her stomach, Emily inched across the grassy field. She pushed her dark hair out of her eyes as she quietly gazed at a teeny, green cricket perched on the tip of a stalk. It was so small and cute, its long antennae bouncing playfully above its head. Emily couldn't help but smile.

She had thought she'd feel like a giant if she watched little bugs go about their day. But it was quite the opposite. Here, surrounded by walls of grass, Emily felt so small, just like the little cricket. She had stepped into a wonderful, new world.

A breeze swept over the field. The grass swayed. She stared at the cricket as it clung for dear life. It was being jerked back and forth, back and forth. She stayed still, held her breath and did not blink. The wind grew stronger. Everything was shaking around her. The cricket couldn't hang on any longer. It jumped… and landed squarely on Emily's nose.

Staring at it cross-eyed, she giggled.

Emily, oh, Emily! My dear, sweet Emily, her grandmother called from the porch.

Emily jumped to her feet. The cricket leaped off her nose.

Yes, Grandma?

Gently rocking in a chair by the front door, her grandmother pointed to the trees across the field. From the forest, is there something? Do you see something coming?

Emily turned around. By some odd coincidence, all the animals of the field were staring at the same spot her grandmother had pointed out. The rabbits stiffened their pointy ears. The squirrels sat up, flicking their tails. Emily wondered what they were all looking at.

Her grandmother squinted through her thick glasses. I sense something getting close, though my eyes fail me. Emily, my dear, please go and have a look-see.

Yes, Grandma.

Resting her hands on her hips, Emily wondered how to get a better view. She didn’t want to walk all the way down the hill because it was very large: a small mountain, she always considered it. After glancing around, she had an idea. The lonely apple tree beside the house looked easy to climb and was quite tall. Smiling to herself, she nodded. It was the perfect spot.

Emily climbed up the trunk. She poked her head out from under the branches. The hill they lived on was a sight to behold. The lush grass was always green, and the surrounding forest with its sky-scraping trees had a certain beauty. Once again she felt really small.

But she still saw nothing out of the ordinary. What was everyone looking at?

She watched the forest for a while longer when all of a sudden—BOOM!

Her eyes wide, Emily whispered, What was that?

She heard it again. A loud rumble. She cringed. Emily glanced nervously at the horizon. The sound of the thunder was clear. It sounded so near. Yet the sky was empty. Not a cloud in sight.